BIOL 2100

For context I am not a bio major, and I never took ap bio in high school. For me, this class is extremely challenging. While Prof. Kittleson is incredibly nice and passionate, his lessons fundamentally require you to have a solid base understanding of biology. I did not have this, so to me every lecture was gibberish. Every test i studied for 10+ hours with elaborate study guides and review exercises- each time I got between a 70-75, and I CELEBRATED. The labs are easy, the homework is meh. My understanding is that if you took ap/ib bio this class is not bad at all. If you’re like me and did not do this, it is really, really hard.

Dave is an incredibly geniuine and kind professor. He's a great lecturer, though he tends to use very specific examples in class which can be hard to follow. To combat this, it's best to understand all of the lecture material BEFORE lecture as much as possible by reading the textbook, watching YouTube videos, etc. It's also important to attend lectures in person because he only makes audio recordings, so when you listen back to them its difficult to determine what exactly he's talking about on the slides. I wouldn't say the content is what makes this class difficult, rather, its the way Dave makes his exams. The wording of the questions tend to be very tricky and they are HEAVILY application based, so you can't get away with memorizing everything, you must have a conceptual understanding of it. I was never able to break an 85 on his exams even after attending office hours consistently and studying strategically. His exams are objectively difficult. I would highly recommend attending his office hours every week even if you don't have questions because he gives useful examples and demonstrations that weren't given in lecture. He also gives a good amount of extra credit throughout the course that can help you reach the next letter grade if you're close to it, but don't anticipate it to make some significant difference. Do not take this class if you don't have to--it is time consuming and frustrating. If it's a requirement for you, my best advice is to ask questions as much as possible in office hours. He kindly answers them and you can ask for clarification at any point. Try your best to absorb as much content as possible prior to lecture and do not fall behind! Although Dave's exams are hard, they are still doable if you put in the work. Dave is reasonable and always has his student's best interests in mind, don't be afraid to ask for help. #tCFF23

YOU CAN GET AN A, coming from someone who got an A.

Background:
I am a 2nd year who took this class and took AP Biology my senior year of HS, so about 4/5 topics were somewhat familiar. Dave explains all of these concepts so much better than my HS teacher did. A lot of these reviews and grades are coming from 1st years who I don't think were really ready for a college level class, so don't be scared!

Course Overview:
-5 exams, all non cumulative (70%, often curved a tad)
-Lab (20%)
-HW (10%)
-Offers +1% for PollEverywhere, up to 1% (depending on how many responses) for course evaluations, and a extra point for things every now and then

How to get an A:
Homework
-Kinda hate Dave for this, but every attempt on MasteringBio you lose a point, so don't be afraid to double check your answers

Lab
-Lab was kinda pointless expect during genetics
-Check everything with your TA - they're so nice!

Studying
-Go to DAVES office hours - he makes the exams so he knows exactly what you need to know
-Focus on the learning objectives (and ask Dave to explain them to you if confused)
-I rewatched every single lecture, because you often miss things, and for this class, it's important you write down everything because there's a chance it could be on the exam
-Save your time, when looking at the textbook focus on the images and videos
-Ask yourself what if questions: "What would happen if this stopped working?", "What's the point of this?", because Dave likes to ask those questions on the exams
-Know every concept conceptually but also associate it with a certain image

NOTE: You will probably do bad on Exam 1 (I did), but take that as a learning point and realize where you went wrong studying/preparing/test taking. I did that and go >90s on every exam. Also, Dave is willing to help you succeed! He is there to help be your sherpa and talking things out.

As someone who didn't take AP Biology in high school, this class was pretty challenging and time-consuming for me. Kittlesen is really nice - he's approachable in and out of class and is receptive to answering questions/emails but he assumes that people have a strong background in biology. His lecture slideshows are basically just pictures/diagrams and in lecture, he explains the processes and related concepts in detail that it can be overwhelming if you don't have a strong foundation in biology. His exams are the ones that get people the most - some questions in the exams are basically paragraphs of text where it can be difficult to find out what concept he wants you to apply on the question. Other questions are also confusing + vague and can refer back to activities you did in lab.
My tips for this class: the exam learning objectives he gives out are going to be your savior in the course, as he's going to ask questions related to them. Also make sure you understand the learning objectives to the T, since the questions he likes to put are application based (ex: what happens if x gene is removed from y). What I did is made an extensive study guide with learning objectives and used my notes to fill them out. I also made sure to find friends who knew the content better than I did and try to explain it to them. Make sure to also ask "what if" questions, since it really makes you apply the concepts you learn to hypothetical situations which is what Kittlesen likes to put on his exams. This course is pretty difficult and can be a pre-med weed-out course but if you can survive, you can survive the upper-level bio/harder pre-med classes. #tCFF23

I came into this class with a passion for biology and wanting to major in it and left with a hatred. Professor Kittlesen designs the course to have 5 exams in which are worth over 70% of your grade. This would not have been an issue if he didn't make the exams almost impossible to pass. I would spend over around 15 hours a week studying for these exams and still did not do well. He is not sympathetic and does not want his students to pass. I ended with a 79.98 and he refused to bump me 0.02 to a B- so I ended with a C+. Labs are not bad at all, though, I was the only student in my lab group that continued with Bio (the rest dropped pre-med due to Bio 2100). DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS IF YOU GOT CREDIT. I rarely know anyone that ended with an A- or A.

I found Kittlesen's lectures very interesting and engaging - the topic themselves are pretty fascinating even if you aren't someone who's super interested in biology. As for how to succeed - the way to do well on Kittlesen's tests is to make sure you are not just using rote memorization, but actually thinking about how to apply the information. If you know the facts and can use logic to deduce conclusions, you will be absolutely fine. The tests are not meant to trick you unless you don't understand the actual way that something works. I didn't do the readings before class and I hadn't taken AP bio, but I did the readings before each exam and always did quite well. I would also recommend talking about the concepts with a friend like he suggests. Overall, you shouldn't be scared of this course - it's easy to do well if you are willing to apply information rather than just regurgitate it.

#tCFS24

Kittlesen is a great professor! He genuinely cares about his students and makes lectures entertaining and enjoyable. Reading the textbook is unnecessary as everything on the exams is solely lecture based. Kittlesen's lecture slides are mostly pictures so you really need to focus and take notes during lecture. He does record the lecture, but it is only an audio recording. An additional benefit in attending lectures is poll everywhere which he offers an extra credit point for participation. There are Mastering Bio assignments after every lecture that typically take about 20-30 minutes. This is pretty much the only form of homework outside of class. Labs can be confusing, but in my experience the TAs were happy to guide us through. My lab group got out 1-2 hours early every week. There are no prelab or postlab assignments as homework. I would suggest reading the lab overview before showing up for lab. This will help you move quicker and hopefully get out early. Exams are easy if you review all the lecture content before hand. Drawing out all the biological processes for each unit exam on a whiteboard helped me feel prepared. If you have taken AP Bio most of the topics should be familiar. Exams are closed notes so you do need to memorize the content, however he directly draws out what you need to know and what you don't. All exams (including the final) are unit exams and not cumulative.

In summary, this is a great introductory course and I suggest taking it even if you get transfer credit for AP Bio. I wish I had gotten to know Kittlesen better. If you are able to, go to Kittlesen's office hours and take his COLA class. He is a great connection as head of the biology department and for recommendations.

Overall, this class is taught pretty well even if it is pretty difficult, especially in the beginning when you're getting used to the course. Professor Kittlesen is a phenomenal instructor, and quite clearly lays out the knowledge you need to be expected to know come exams, but you similarly need to listen, study, and review accordingly to make sure you perform well.

In terms of exams, Kittlesen changed his original policy of having 6 exams and allowing us to drop one in favor of only 5 exams with more extra credit opportunities starting with Fall 2023. This might very well mean you'll start off with a really low score on your first exam like I did because you're not yet used to how his exams are somewhat tricky with their questions. But even then, I found that what worked best for me was to take proper notes in all his lectures, then make a Google doc with all the learning objectives for the upcoming exam and try writing out and explaining each one. If you took good notes already, this should only take a few hours, but will do wonders in helping you recognize which areas you need to review more as well as training you to understand the concepts in the way in which Kittlesen wants you to for the exam. While you're reviewing, though, make sure to draw out all the relevant diagrams and processes as much as you can, because his exams pretty much require you to be able to have a mental image of how the systems work and how they're manipulated in the wake of certain changes so you can then determine the right answer.

In terms of his lectures, you should definitely attend every lecture in person if possible. He didn't mention it in detail for us until the very end, but the Poll Everywhere questions he has you do in class will be added as extra credit to your final grade, which is determined solely on completion. For this semester, he decided to give everyone 100% completion because a lot of students faced a lot of technical difficulties, but that may not be the case in the future, so make sure to attend in person and do the questions whenever possible. It may not be much, but a 100% completion grade for us meant an extra 1% boost to our overall course grade, so it can definitely make a difference.

You should also try to do your best to get as close to 100% in your MasteringBiology homework assignments, so take your time answering them. He also gives out a few extra credit homework assignments at the very end of the semester, which I highly suggest you complete as that can very well bring an original homework grade of around 90% up to a full 100%.

In regards to labs, they're not that difficult overall, so just make sure to do your best to complete everything as best as you can.

Tl;dr: Professor Kittlesen is a great instructor, and you can study well for his tricky exams by making sure you can explain and know everything on the learning objectives for an upcoming exam. Always attend the lectures in-person as much as you can, and make sure you take any extra-credit opportunity possible, including homework and in-lecture questions.

I hope this helps, and good luck to anyone who plans on taking the course!

Professor Kittlesen is a good lecturer. He makes lecture engaging and interesting, which helps with actually remembering the material he’s taught. The exams can be kind of tough, but if you go to class and study, you’ll be okay. Make sure to study for exams, as they are most of what makes up your grade. Lab is boring and honestly kind of useless. I didn’t learn a single thing in lab. It is, however, a good grade buffer between the exams. Make sure to do the homework, as that gives an easy opportunity to bring your grade up. This semester he gave a good amount of extra credit, which really came in handy. I got a B in the course, but an A is totally possible if you put in the work for it.

I loved this course, I found Dave to be a phenomenal teacher. The tests were not on textbook material so I didn’t open the textbook at all and I was fairly successful throughout the course. The only real issue I took with the course as a whole was that the lab section kind of dragged and many of the labs felt like time wasters (things like arts and crafts and escape room that all took hours). #tCFF23

I did not like this class. Kittlesen is really nice - I'm not denying that - but the man needs to change the way he teaches because it DOES NOT CLICK.
First of all, the exams are by far the worst part of this class. Kittlesen gives you "learning objectives" that guide your studying and tell you what you need to know. And sure, those help! But he throws SO MANY CURVEBALLS on the exams and so many questions are worded terribly that it feels nearly impossible to do well. I don't say this lightly - because I genuinely try and am a good student otherwise - but it feels like his exams can be partially up to chance. If you didn't pick up on one specific thing he said, zoned out for ten minutes, or missed class, good luck. You will not be able to get that learning back. Kittlesen's slides are awful, with barely any words on them. They serve as a rough outline for where the actual information comes from, which is from Kittlesen himself. Make sure you transcribe EVERYTHING he says because you'll be stuck up a creek otherwise.
There are some good things about this course, in fairness. He's fairly generous with extra credit, REALLY nice, and labs and MasteringBio assignments are fairly easy grade boosters. It's just that the core of this course is such a slog that I can't in good conscience recommend it. In essence, it's REALLY easy to get a B to an A-, but getting to that A feels nigh on impossible.

For an intro class, it definitely is a lot of work. It is essential you go to the lecture and take note of everything he says. Many times he will put a question on the exam that wasn't on the slides, you had to listen to his example. His exams are relatively difficult and will take a lot of prep. When he says his class isn't definitions based, he is not exaggerating. Be prepared to be tested on the concepts and examples relating to them. He is a nice guy who truly loves the subject, so you can expect him to be engaged and resourceful during office hours.

AMAZING! I loved this class and Kittlesen is the best! He is so funny and makes lecture so enjoyable. His tests are not as hard as people say, I would describe them as surface level knowledge but written to trick you so that you really need to read (and reread) the question and all the answer choices. Lab is fine but know that the amylase, genetics, and PCR stuff can take a while. 10/10 recommend

I’m a science major so I needed to take this class and I didn’t not take AP Bio in my high school. Dillery was a very nice person, he cared about what he taught and helped out understand as much as he could. That being said, the amount of information needed to be memorized and the complexity of the information means no room for slacking. I ended with an A- and I ended with it because I read the textbook before every lecture, took notes in lecture, and then relistened to his lectures after lecture, whenever I found time. The best way to approach this class and end with an A in my opinion is to focus on his objectives. Study smart, so skim the textbook at least before each lecture so you know terms that pop up since he won’t really explain those, and then while taking notes really pay attention to the objectives. VERY IMPORTANT, is that all the test content is from the lecture and only content from the objectives, so don’t try going and memorizing and practicing information that he doesn’t talk about or simply doesn’t expect you to know. From what I say, the kids that ended with an A skimmed the textbook(fast), paid very close attention to lecture, relistened to the lectures, but instead took notes on his learning objectives. He posts the objectives in the slides on the first slide. A few cautions for the class are that the recordings for the class are all audio, so remember to take pictures of any drawings or demonstrations in class, and that sometimes you might feel really behind or have no idea what he’s saying during lecture. That is 100% fine, I think I understood like 40% of the lectures first way through, but listening to the lectures again really helps so much. For this class be ready to absorb a lot of time into bio studying and remember that it’s a weed out class, so just keep pushing, there are usually incentives that Kittlesen somehow gives be it .5 bumps or extra credit on homework that help. And for labs, it’s not in your choice, but TA matters a lot since some TAs would try to help during labs and grade easier, while others would refuse to help in any way and grade harder. One tip for lab would be to find a group that you think would do work, so all the burden of lab isn’t on you. Again, not to scare anyone taking this class, but Kittlesen is there not to yank your gpa, but to help you guys out, so go to office hours, P2L sessions, and TA office hours if you really need it. I personally loved the content of the class, so no matter how hard or confusing it was I pushed through and I ended doing well. GOOD LUCK AND ALL THE BEST!!!!

This class was awesome but a lot of work. Kittlesen is an engaging lecturer and gives out lots of extra credit. He is helpful in office hours, and I loved his TAs. They know how hard the class is and seem to take that into consideration when grading your lab work (mine emphasized that they wanted lab to be a grade boost). I ended up with an A in the class, so here is what worked for me. Before lecture, take notes on the reading. I know it is tedious, do it anyway. Go to lecture and take shorter notes and do the participation extra credit! When it comes to studying, I relistened to his lectures and filled in my class notes with what I missed. Then I took those notes and used them to fill in flashcards labeled with the learning objectives. Rather than just turning the flashcards over, I would get a blank google doc and write out paragraphs explaining each learning objective. If I couldn’t, I would type out what was on the back of the flashcard and then come back to it. I would also explain certain concepts to my friends or mom to make sure I had them down. Do the hw and check it. Get this and lab grades as close to a 100 as possible, because that could be the difference between an A- and an A. Overall, this class is hard work, but it is much more doable that people make it out to be. You just have to be prepared and willing to put in the work.

The course helped me realized that biology was not for me. That being said, Professor Kittlesen taught it well and offers plenty of opportunities to improve your grade, and there are plenty of opportunities to get help at office hours and P2L sessions.

The class itself is not particularly difficult, but you need to put in the work and study regularly and efficiently. Do not try to pull an all nighter one or two days before an exam, because there is a lot of content—be sure to begin studying and rewatching lectures the week of the exam at a minimum.

There is an e-text, but you honestly don't need it—all of the information on the exam can be obtained through lecture and Mastering Bio. I stopped reading the textbook after exam 2 and did fine. While studying, focus on answering the learning objectives he gives you, and use the textbook as reference when you need additional explanation. Follow Prof. Kittlesen's suggestion and try to explain concepts while studying so you know you fully understand them.

Some people say that the exams are unfair and use random, obscure information from his lectures, but I did not really find that to be the case. While it's true that the exams can be difficult, all of the content is directly related to the provided learning objectives—it's just a question of how effectively you studied them and if you know how to apply them. Ultimately, as long as you study EFFECTIVELY, getting an A in this class should not be too difficult.

I took this class in fall 2022 when he took away the drop and online exams. I got an A+ in the class and my biggest suggestion (that worked for me at least) would be to listen to the lecture audio recordings twice before each test. For the first time write down literally every word he says. The second time just listen. I went over the mastering biology questions and the learning objectives too, but spent most of my time with the lectures. I did the reading in the beginning of the semester, but eventually stopped as it didn’t help me much but it couldn’t hurt. This is what worked for me in the class, but as everyone’s different I recommend trying everything. I thought the first test was the hardest, so don’t be discouraged after getting your first grade back.

Kittlesen is a nice man but boy was this class rough.

He assumes everyone learned the basics in high school of each topic that he teaches, so he goes super in depth into random examples about a topic, but not the facts/details about the topic. For example, we would learn about replication, but instead of learning about the process he would talk about a random disease that had to do with it. Lectures were pretty unorganized. Here's my approach to success (A-):
-Type EVERYTHING he says during lecture. literally like a speed race while he's speaking just dictate it.

-go to class- his slides are all pictures, so if you skip you have to listen to the transcript and it's basically impossible when all he says is "This then slides in here and attacks this..etc". Also you get poll everywhere points (but make sure you don't miss ONE- I missed a single lecture of the entire semester when there's 3 a week and I got an 85% on pollev. If I had gotten a 1% I would have an A :(

-Type and talk out his LOs for each exam WELL in advance. This is his strategy for success and it's somewhat helpful.

His exams are pretty unreasonable if I'm being honest. I know even the smartest people who just didn't do well because they are so random and detailed about stuff that just shouldn't be in an intro bio class. I mean seriously as a 2nd year this class was kind of the bane of my existence. Just try your best and start studying in advance for exams. Def possible to get an A if you cushion your grade with a high lab grade (20% of your overall grade) and high mastering bio grade (10% overall). Don't get discouraged because BIOL 2200 is much easier and more straightforward.

All I have to say is, I hate Dave's exams. So much. I took this class as a second year, after I had already taken biol2200, and was expecting it to be a breeze. My year was the first to have fully in person exams with no opportunity to drop your lowest (in any circumstance). I completed all the learning objectives, would study for hours, transcribe his lectures, read the textbook, all to no avail. I found the exams to be unreasonably specific and complicated, and felt like I was constantly fighting a war. I do not know what else I could have done to be successful. It is the worst pre-med weed out I've taken at UVA and I feel like the war is over now that I've completed it. Just put your head down, try your best, and get through it.

Kittlesen is great professor. He's very organized and is always emailing with updates and reminders. His lectures are clear and understandable if you know what he's talking about. He includes little stories and jokes which breaks up the info. He records them and I recommend relistening to them before the exams.
However, this class is really hard. I would not take it unless you have to or really like bio. An A is attainable if you're willing to put in the work. Best part about the class is that the tests are not cumulative. Definitely go to class and keep up with the material or you will struggle. For the exams, it's not enough to memorize the material, you have to understand it. There isn't much work outside of studying for exams (except for the mastering bio hw), but during exam week I spent probably 25 hours studying. If you do bad on one test you can still get an A but you have to grind. Even though the class is hard, it's fair and he tries to give extra credit where he can.

This class sucks. Kittlesen is a nice guy but his lectures are unorganized and very hard to follow. His slides have like 2 words on them and it is pictures so I would definitely read the chapters before class. This class is NOT easy even if you do read. The topics are super confusing and the labs do not help. His exams are very difficult and I know a majority of people getting C's on them. There is a lot of material on each exam and you need to study and be able to teach other people so many miniscule details to do well. People that are acting like this class is easy is LYING. It is not at all and the spring semester of bio is soooo much easier.

Dave was a great guy and you could tell he cared a lot about what he was teaching about, but this class was lethal for me. I took it first semester first year, and I was wholly unprepared. I approached it like a high school class, and that just didn't work. I felt that no matter what I did to study or prepare for exams, nothing was enough. I barely passed the class. Thankfully, he does curve the exams, and he curved the final grade. It got to the point that I was happy if I got a 70 on exams. I put in so much work (notes on every lecture, reading, and studied for hours before each exam). If you take this class, be prepared to throw yourself into it, especially if you're a first year.

Kittlesen was a fun professor who was really passionate about teaching. His homework assignments can be really long sometimes, especially if you read the textbook. Personally, I would try to answer the homework using my notes and refer to the textbook when I didn't understand something. His exams can be quite tricky in the wording though. I recommend you study with a partner for his exams, and try teaching each other. He will recommend the same thing. He uses his learning objectives to create exam questions, so try making a study guide off of them. When studying, try to explain his learning objectives, and if you can do that, you'll be fine. He says his exam averages are usually around a B, but they are hard. He drops the lowest midterm exam score. He offers extra credit via iClicker questions (based on accuracy) and a post-exam reflection. The only pre-lab reading from the manual was for the first chapter, and otherwise we didn't touch the lab manual. The lab is fairly easy with a good TA. (P.S. Don't pick the 5:30-8pm lab time, you won't get dinner some nights).

This review is specific to the summer course because it is a completely different beast. I did not take AP Biology, but I did get an A in Bio 2200 (as reference). I also got an A in this course.

Some changes to summer vs during the year (there are more but this is brief):
- He did not offer office hours.
- Much smaller class (really get to know Kittlesen and make friends)
- We had in-class learning activities (I'm not convinced these will stay). They were worth 20% 

Advice:
1) Study each day. If you want an A, you will have to study/work every single day of the summer course. He predicts on the first day that it takes 20+ hours a week. That is a very accurate assessment of the time put in by successful students. This may be different if you have a lot of biology experience.

2) During class, you need to write down everything he says. He does include some details that you will need on the exam. He is not as specific as Manson, but he still has his moments. In brief, listen to every example and understand it.

3) Watch Khan academy or other videos to supplement the harder material. The course is condensed, so you need to do a bit more than read and go to class. It can really help to watch videos when Kittlesen rushes (which will have to happen given the nature of the course).

4) LEARNING OBJECTIVES!!!! Go through the learning objectives as you learn the material. It takes more effort, but you will be thankful when you are studying for the exam. There was an exam every week (except week three but then we had 2 exams for week 4).

5) Make sure you understand all the diagrams from his powerpoint. Be able to walk through each diagram and be able to explain it.

6) Grade boosters: get as close to a 100% as you can on Mastering Biology, get help on every lab and get the TAs to help you get a good score, and answer his poll everywhere questions (will give you bonus points that greatly increase your grade if you try)

If you're planning on majoring in bio then you quite literally have to take this class. Came into my first year thinking I wanted to major in bio, then realized I no longer wanted to so I lost focus and class got boring for me. Nevertheless, Dave made me enjoy this class. He is pretty interactive with class examples and demonstrations as well as iClicker questions. Lab for this section is pretty easy, nothing too strenuous. Downsides to this class are the large amounts of reading for the online textbook and the annoying Masteringbio questions (homework assignments). I found it a bit hard to keep up with the course, it goes pretty fast, but as mentioned before, I also lost interest in the subject matter. In and of itself the class really isn't that bad. If you have questions go to office hours, work on assignments (not test though lol) with friends, and try to stay up to date with readings.

I love this class and I love Kittlesen!!! He's such an amazing professor and really makes class engaging and interesting, though the content itself can already be pretty interesting. It's clear he's passionate about what he does. I think he was also the most organized of any of my professors this semester - consistent communication about EVERYTHING, learning objectives the test pulls from, etc. He also gave second chances with some of the more difficult labs/assignments that were worth more points and extra credit with the Clicker questions.

He definitely wants his students to succeed and focus more on loving biology than stressing over their grades. However the readings and Mastering Bio questions could be tedious and pretty long at times. The labs were also kind of confusing sometimes, but the procedures for everything were all clearly outlined and the questions were usually straightforward.

The tests covered mostly lecture material. I definitely would go in-person instead of listening to the recordings (which have no visual so they don't include drawings on paper he sometimes does). I studied by reviewing my notes and organizing them into his lesson objectives, and also with the practice exam questions he posts.

Overall, I highly recommend this class if you're interested in biology and willing to put in the time to study!

Kittelsen is a good lecturer and gives lots of examples throughout, sometimes they can be a little hard to understand so make sure you listen to them again (he records all of his lectures). Getting an A is easily achievable with a professor as good as Kittlesen.

TAKE THIS CLASS EVEN IF YOU HAVE CREDIT FOR AP BIO. I have learned so much from Dave and can apply my knowledge like I have never been able to in a class before. Great class- you need to go to lab, do all the readings, and take notes (pay attention to learning objectives and focus mostly on what is in class- sometimes the textbook goes too in depth) in order to succeed. The exams can be difficult (but reasonably so) and Dave lets you drop your lowest score from exams 1-4 but exam 5 counts. I recommend paying close attention to mastering bio and participating in iClicker- these are easy ways to makeup for mistakes on exams. This class isn't an easy A but if you put the time in it is certainly possible. This class was amazing and Dave is always there to answer questions both during/after class and during office hours. I highly recommend this class for all bio majors to build a strong foundation.

This class is very hard. Some people like Kittlesen's lectures but they're very non-linear and bounce all over the place. I would recommend re-listening to the lectures and listen to EVERY thing he says. He tests based on lecture material not on textbook material.

i hadn't taken bio since freshman year of high school, but i still managed to pull an A. i read the textbook before lecture for the first 2-3 exams but completely gave up by the end, so i don't think it's that necessary, but i've also heard the last 2 exams are way more lecture-based, so i don't know. kittlesen was a great lecturer, but don't skip class and rely on the audio recordings-- it's very hard to follow along at home. i never had any idea which slide he was talking about, and clicker questions aren't on the slides, and going over those is a pretty significant part of some classes. the exams were difficult but fair. the mastering bio homework didn't take long, so most of the work for this class was just studying before exams (of which there were 5, so they were pretty frequent).

Enjoyed this class, but it's still rough sometimes. If you don't follow along with the lecture, it'll be a lot harder to get through the exam, even if you studied the textbook. Make sure you know basic info before lecture- even though Kittlesen's pretty easy to follow, you'll understand the nuances more if you know key terms ahead of time. To study for the exam, he provided learning objectives that covered most of what you'll have to understand. Even though I personally didn't enjoy the class too much, Kittlesen was so much fun to listen to and learn from.

To preface this: I came into this class having taken AP Bio. I feel indifferent about this class. I personally actually found it to be quite difficult at times. Dave's powerpoints do not make much sense and his tests cover material from both the textbook and the lectures (so there's a lot of material to study). To succeed in his class, you definitely have to put in the work. My best advice for his exams are to do the practice questions he provides and do some from the Mastering Biology chapter test prep sections. As for Dave's actual lectures, they were quite engaging. He's enthusiastic about the subject matter and adds unplanned comments into lecture that were not intended to be funny, but are hilarious. The lab portion of the class is easy, but still make sure you know what goes on in lab because he'll put material learned in lab on the exams.
#tCFfall2021

I have never understood bio this well until taking a class with kittlesen. He emphasizes understanding material over memorizing, which is usually annoying to hear teachers say, but with kittlesen, he actually does such an incredible job at explaining things that I finally understand what learning rather than memorizing means. Definitely read the textbook section before class (or at least skim it) because it gives you a better background so you can understand the lecture better. However, don't worry about reading the textbook in detail too much because lecture is what really matters for exams. Making a study guide where I answered his learning objectives with my lecture notes is what helped me do best on exams. Also office hours are extremely helpful, especially before exams (even if you don't have questions, definitely try to go to his office hours the week of an exam). #tCFfall2021

This class is difficult, but a good intro to pre-med classes. To be fair, I also came into the class not taking any sort of bio since freshman year of high school, so all of the information was really new. There is a good amount of work for this class, even if you don't do the readings which aren't really required for the class. The best way to take notes is outlining the learning objectives and taking lecture notes based on these objectives. For studying for exams, I recommend rewatching all of his recorded lectures/lecture audios and then talking out the leaning objectives with another student.

I loved Dave! He does a great job of making the lectures more engaging, which is hard to do in a class of 400+ people. He is also just a funny guy which makes the lectures more interesting and he is very knowledgeable of the actual material too. He really seems like he wants everyone to do well, so he answers questions and does a good job of explaining things. He also includes lots of diagrams on his powerpoints and posts those powerpoints and recordings of the lectures which is very helpful as well.

One of the best professors at UVA. If you put in the work (take good notes during lecture, are caught up with the HW, pay attention in lab) you should do pretty well! Him and his TAs are always available to answer any questions. He also really cares for his students (emails all the time for updates and making sure everybody is on track).

This was not my favorite class ( I definitely prefer learning about evolution and ecosystems), but Kittlesen is very knowledgeable and seems to care about his students. I thought the tests were extremely hard and spent hours on hours preparing to still normally get a B- on them. Tests make up 70% of the grade, so there isn't much room for error on a bad one. There was no final, just a 6th test (during COVID).

Dave is a very nice and friendly professor. You are only responsible for information he mentions in lectures and labs, although reading the textbook is a good supplement. The online labs were easy for the most part but not the most interesting. If you have a strong biology background this class is not super hard, but requires some studying of the examples he mentions. This semester we had a test every other week which did get overwhelming, but he dropped your lowest score. Overall not as hard of a course as I expected it to be.

Professor Kittlesen is a great guy, but wasn't a very effective lecturer in my opinion. Everything was online so I understand that it was different than the usual experience, but his lectures were very hard to follow. His slides are only pictures, so it can be difficult to understand what information needs to be taken from each slide. You would have to rewatch the same lecture multiple times to understand what needed to be retained, so if you didn't have a ton of time, it could be frustrating. Read the textbook!!! Most of what he says in lecture is in the assigned readings and is easier to understand. My other issue with the class is how heavily the exams are weighted (70% of the grade for 6 exams), so there isn't much you can do to change your grade if your exam average isn't too great. Most of the exam questions are drawn directly from information in the textbook and examples discussed in class, but sometimes the wordings can be pretty tricky. If you are taking a relatively light course load and have a decent amount of time to devote to this class, then you should be fine. It's difficult to juggle with multiple other hard science courses at once, and don't expect an easy A. I went into it thinking it would be much easier than it was, but still pulled an A- by spending t about 7-9 hours/ week on this class. But Professor Kittlesen really is a great guy and you can tell he cares about his students and the material he teaches a lot.

#tCF2020

I came into this class with a decent amount of bio knowledge. I took AP Bio in high school and I am so glad I did because I don't know how I would've done without it. However, this class is very difficult, but Kittlesen gives you many opportunities to succeed. Also, Kittlesen is the absolute BEST! He is an amazing lecturer and he is so so passionate about teaching intro bio. His lectures are very interesting and they go into a lot of detail, but Kittlesen will let you know if you need to know certain things for the exams. The majority of this course is weighted on the exams, and I highly recommend studying early for them. I started studying about 3-5 days before the exam, and I wish I spent more time studying. The first two exams are brutal and mostly textbook based, and the rest really seem to go off of the lectures, especially the last two. The questions reflect the objectives and main points of the lecture so I recommend rewatching the lectures and taking detailed notes. Also, it really helps to read the chapters beforehand so you know what's going on in lecture. Lab was pointless during covid times and I slacked off on the assignments, which didn't help my grade in the end, so take those assignments seriously! You're in good hands with Kittlesen and if you put in the effort, you'll do great! #tCF2020

I spent about 15 hours a week for this class. I rewatched lectures about 4 times before each exam. I did well on the first 5 exams and did not take the 6th exam. I really loved Kittlesen, such an amazing professor and super thorough with his instructions. I highly encourage you to ENGAGE with the material and not just write it down for words but to make sense of it because the exams will test your understanding not just memorization! #tCF2020

This class was moderately easy and Professor Kittlesen was great. He is very understanding, and he tried to make the online lectures as engaging as possible with the online format. The class wasn't very difficult, and most of the material was a review from AP Bio. The tests weren't hard either. Definitely take the practice exams because they were very similar in difficulty to the tests. Also, do the assigned readings before the lectures! It makes the lectures so much easier to understand if you have already reviewed the content.

Disclaimer: I took this course Fall 2020; it was all online because of COVID so I can't say for sure exactly how different my experience was compared to how this course would be in a "normal" semester.

I went into this course very nervously because I hadn't touched biology since 9th grade, and I didn't take AP Bio so I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up with college-level bio. Thankfully, this course was nowhere near as nightmarish as I had initially feared, and I'm actually proud of what I learned and more interested in biology after taking this class.

The Professor:
I really enjoyed having Professor Kittlesen as a teacher. He was very patient and approachable. He took questions in class, after class, and in (Zoom) office hours. He never called a question dumb, and would really try his best to answer them as clearly as he can. I went to his office hours pretty frequently, and oftentimes different students would ask him the same question over and over again. I never saw him get exasperated--usually he would try explaining it in a slightly different way abd/or point the student to a specific part of a lecture video/other resource. He also tried to keep lectures fun sometimes. I respect the man for being able to tell jokes to a wall of 250+ people with their cameras and mics off without making it awkward.

The Exams:
Exams are definitely the most stressful part of the course since they make up 70% of your grade. There are 6 exams total, but Kittlesen drops your lowest exam so in the end only 5 exams count towards your grade and they're pretty much weighed equally. I didn't do so hot on the first one, but I did well enough on the next four that I was able to skip the last exam and still end with an A. Kittlesen has his own tips for success that he'll share, but I'll list here what worked for me:
1.) Follow the learning objectives --- Kittlesen starts each lecture with a bulleted list of learning objectives on the first ppt slide. I would copy this list onto a google doc, and after each lecture I would "fill in" as much information as I had learned. I would highlight the parts that I didn't understand and make sure that I bring questions about those concepts to office hours.
2.) Read the textbook before lecture --- I started off the semester always reading the textbook (and taking notes) first at least the day before lecture. One time I decided to do the reading after lecture and boy that was bad lol I didn't understand anything from lecture and it felt faster than normal.
3.) Pay attention to Mastering Bio --- 10% of your grade comes from Mastering Bio homework. Kittlesen picks which Mastering Bio questions to assign so they're usually pretty relevant to what you'll be expected to know for exams. Re-doing/reviewing these homework questions were a good way for me to practice active recall and be sure that I really knew what was going on.

The Lab:
A lot more chill than chem lab (1411) that's for sure. Lab-related assignments make up 20% of your final grade. I don't know what is normally done in biology lab, but for us it was like one "wet" lab experiment, a DNA analysis virtual demo, and the rest were discussions, paper-demos, and practice problem worksheets. My TA, Keric Lamb, was pretty nice and good at explaining things. Should be an easy category to get an A in. Just show up and try to participate.

#tCF2020

I am one of the few who did not really like Kittlesen. He is very knowledgeable in his stuff but attending lectures is almost pointless. His lectures are confusing and rather than teaching the concepts, he will talk about specific cases before making sure the students understand the basic concept. His slides have virtually no text, just screenshots of diagrams from the textbook. Definitely going to be a struggle if you have problems focusing when there is no structure in the class. Then he would go on and just talk for fifty minutes straight. His voice is so droning and very hard to follow. He does not even annotate the slides. You must read the textbook and do Mastering Bio. It doesn't really matter in the end though because there's only one professor for this course so make the best of it and good luck.

All the reviews about Kittlesen are true-- he's a great professor, really passionate about what he does, and is obviously brilliant. His class, however, was rough. For a non-STEM person, you are going to need to WORK for this grade. Course content was usually pretty interesting, but very detailed and incremental. If there's one lecture or section of the textbook that you don't understand, prepare to be LOST going forwards. Not impossible, but definitely requires attention in order to get a good grade.

Dave is the best! I think that people give this class a bad rep because it actually requires work. You definitely need to read the textbook but the exams are very fair, and Dave honestly wants his students to do well. Make sure you go to office hours, I definitely personally found them helpful. I would take this course again if I could!

Dave is a legend! He's an incredibly engaging professor and a lot of us took that for granted as we're learning in 2200 with Manson. The class is difficult but completely manageable. From someone who got an A, his practice exams are great ways to review, I found the mastering biology hw to be pointless, but the DSMs were great. Do all the extra credit because it'll really come in handy at the end of the semester. The textbook is great for the first 3 exams while the last 2 are more based off of lectures. I found Exam 4 to be the hardest because it was the newest conceptually for me, came in having taken AP Bio. Dave is a really quick lecturer so if you feel like you're struggling to keep up with his lectures in the first two weeks, try to record them and then take notes later on at your own pace. His powerpoints are really useless because they're all just pictures which he'll then go into a lot of depth on. Completely doable if you stay on top of your stuff. Try and read the textbook before the lecture for Exam 1-3 at least because it really helps to have a basic understanding of what he's talking about. My only regret is I didn't get to know Dave personally, he seems like a great guy would recommend going to OH.

This class is fairly simple; if you put in the work, you'll get a good grade. Kittlesen is an amazing professor; the only thing that could make it harder is the fact that he has no words on his powerpoints and he talks pretty fast too.

As an intro bio course, you are bound to take Dave's class. Dave is such a kind, warm person. He does want everyone to succeed and is very approachable. One mistake I made was not utilizing office hours more. Many in this class are incoming first years in their first semesters - spend times with your lab TA and Dave in office hours, it will help you dramatically. I received an A- in this course. It did require me to put in a lot of work, but I also had very bad study habits. 1. Record all his lectures. Many of my friends have said that he is difficult to understand. His powerpoint slides also do not have enough information for you to look on your own and learn the material. I did not find him difficult to understand in class, but when you have days where you are sleep deprived, hungover, anxious for your other test, you are bound to miss out on information. Recording lectures is a great habit to form. 2. His exams were hard, but they were not written to trick you. Probably 90% of his questions are from lecture and only some information is needed from the textbook. Reading the textbook ahead of class is a A+ student habit to have, but not everyone has the time management skills. Prioritize studying his lectures, practice exam, and any additional information before the textbook. There will be 2-4 lab based questions on the exam that sometimes require you to memorize specifics in lab so pay attention in lab too. 3. This is an intro bio course. Many of you are coming in planning to be premed and this course is designed to test you. Just because you got a bad grade does not mean you should drop premed. If you want to do your best in this class and really, I mean REALLY learn and absorb the material, learn how to enjoy it. Study with your friends and have them by your side to encourage you. Share notes and teach each other. Another way to study is by making a list of key concepts and terms. Go through each one and brain dump everything you have collectively.

Love this man. He really emphasizes the importance of truly understanding the topics (not just memorization!) and this definitely makes me feel like I'm getting a lot out of this course. Advice: go to class! Ask questions! Start studying for exams at least 3-5 days in advance. Great course.

Kittlesen is the best! So passionate and great structure to his course, after the first exam, you really can do well on the next exams because you know how he asks questions and details to pay attention to! You definitely can succeed in this very challenging but great class!

I honestly have to say I enjoyed this class. I don't know why people rip on it and act like it's hell on earth. If you pay attention in lecture, complete all assignments on time, and don't skip class, getting an A is 100% possible. That being said, why take this class if you don't have to? If you're premed or its a requirement for your major, though, no need to freak out. If you're at UVA, you're a good enough student to succeed in this class.

Kittlesen goes fast in lecture-if you don’t understand something he is open to questions however, in class or office hours. I found it challenging to transfer the material we learned in class to the exams because either I didn’t know what would be tested or because exam questions are typically extension questions and few are based upon simple facts. Wasn’t bored but I had a hard time in this class

Dave is the man. This class will slap you in the face if you underestimate the difficulty. Do the reading before class. I didn't take notes on the reading but if it helps you do it. Do all of the practice tests and learn the concepts of each question. Work together on pre-labs. Get all of your points on Mastering Bio; do the Dynamic Study Modules for extra credit if needed. Go to every class and use your iclicker. The extra credit from iClicker saves you; it got me an A. Also get all of your points in lab. Just ask your TA if you are unsure about a question or technique.

I found Dr. Kittlesen to be very nice and likable. He got a little confusing at times, but he is very approachable and open to answering questions. There was reading assigned before every lecture, but I never did it and finished with an A. The labs weren't too bad and all of the homework is on quizlet. The practice and review sessions before the exams were very helpful.

Professor Kittlesen is very passionate about biology and very knowledgeable! He is always available outside of lecture in office hours. However, this course is very challenging and requires a lot of studying. I recommend studying the information repetitively even if you think that you know the information. Taking notes and watching youtube videos additional to lectures and readings are helpful. Kittlesen's lectures do not go very in depth and he goes over the main concepts. As the semester goes on, the information on tests stray further away from the textbook readings and lecture is required in order to do well. His tests are all multiple choice, there are five of them, and all weigh the same. However, the questioning on his exams can be tricky.

This class is certainly not easy, but after figuring out a system for taking notes/studying that works for me the class was relatively straight forward. The reading is not necessarily required, and not everyone does them as they can be time consuming, but I HIGHLY recommend doing them. They are extremely helpful if you do them before lecture, as it is good to have some context as to what Dave is talking about since he can go fast sometimes. I found the MasteringBio homework to be not that helpful, but it is easy to get a 100 on your homework grade, given that most of the answers can be found online and there is a lot of extra credit you can do for it. The first three tests were mostly based mainly off of textbook, so if you didn't understand something in lecture it was easy to just go into the textbook and teach it to yourself. However, the fourth and fifth tests were based more heavily on stuff talked about in lecture, so I would recommend recording these lectures s o you can go back over stuff you didn't understand. I didn't record the lectures for the fourth test and I got an 80 on that test, but when I recorded the lectures for the fifth test I got a 90. It is also helpful to have a group of people to study with and talk over concepts - if you are able to talk through the concepts and explain them to others that is a good indicator of whether or not you are prepared for the test. Another important thing on tests 4 & 5 that wasn't really important before that was concepts from lab, so be sure to understand what you did in lab for test 4 because there were a lot of questions about it.

Overall, this was a decent Intro to Bio course. Would definitely recommend. Most students love Dave, but in all honesty, I did not like him. Yes, he is a good professor and lecturer, but he is not the best science teacher that I have had. The tests progressively get harder through the semester; and the wording can be pretty tricky on them. I suggest that you do the readings in advance and that you study for the exam with other students in the class that way you can help each other out. Sometimes it is difficult to take notes effectively as Dave can talk really fast or talk for so long without pausing, so I definitely recommend that your record the lectures just in case you miss something. There are plenty of extra credit opportunities available so do not miss the chance to take them up. The homework isn't too bad, if you do the readings and listen to the lectures you will be fine. I found this class quite simple as I had taken AP Bio right before and most of the topics were similar. Be sure to pay attention in the lab as you will be quizzed about what you do in lab on the bio tests.

David Kittlesen is such an amazing professor! He is really engaging in his lectures and it comes across like he is really excited about the material, which rubs off on you. In high school I was not a fan of biology because it was a lot of memorization and the lectures were just spewing facts, but Kittlesen puts emphasis on understanding the concepts and their context to biology as a whole. On top of that he is a funny guy and is the only professor thus far that has made me genuinely laugh during class. That being said, this is a hard course. I would highly recommend reading the textbook sections before class, and if not then right after the class. It is really easy to get lost in the lectures if you get behind on the material. Also, for grading: there are 5 exams (each 15% of your overall grade), each around 40 multiple choice questions, and you have 2 hours for each exam, which is extremely generous on time given that most AP Biology classes are very time sensitive. Kittlesen also gives you a practice exam that is very similar in difficulty to the actual exam. Finally, I found the mastering bio homework to be very helpful in understanding the concepts. Overall, I would highly recommend this class!

Kittlesen is a funny guy and he is very engaging in his lectures. His lectures, however, are hard to take notes on if you don't have context (so read the textbook beforehand) and the powerpoints are not useful if you do not attend lecture as they are usually random bullets and pictures. My biggest advice is to LISTEN TO EVERY EXAMPLE HE GIVES and UNDERSTAND them as they will 100% show up on the exams. Also, record the lectures and listen to them again because he talks really fast and details crucial to understanding the concept are not always listed on his powerpoints. Digest and understand every example, terminology, and diagram he shows in lecture. If he shows diagrams from the textbook in lecture, absolutely be read the textbook section carefully again.

Intro Bio is necessary for so many different majors and it's great that Professor Kittlesen is who teaches it. Kittlesen is very passionate and has a deep understanding of his subject and teaching. You'll learn to love his jokes, stories, and style of teaching (especially compared to BIOL 2200). Reading the textbook helps in this class so stay updated with the syllabus and pay attention to topics in the powerpoints! An A is definitely doable through keeping up with everything!

I went into this class first year after taking AP Bio and doing well, but even if you do the same, you still need to take this class seriously - my grades suffered initially because I underestimated the class. However, Kittlesen is very knowledgeable and has lots of office hours, so there's really no excuse not to go. Kittlesen also seems to genuinely enjoy teaching this class, which makes it much more bearable. Just be wary of the exams, as some of Kittlesen's questions can be a bit tricky.

As someone who took ap bio I still found this course to be challenging. I went in as a second year and didn’t take it very seriously, only for that to bite me in the ass later on. The first month of the course or so definitely was very doable, the material on tests could be directly learned from the textbooks alone and the lab section was pretty basic information. Arround the third or fourth test the tests started diverging more and more from the textbook until ultimately you would fail the fifth test if you hadn’t been going to lecture. I would most definitely try to attend the lectures leading up to the last two tests or try to record them because otherwise you will have no access to the information on the test as the slides he posts on collab are practically useless. Additionally, about halfway through the semester the labs became more difficult as well which was pretty frustrating. Ultimately this course isn’t impossible but it certainly isn’t easy and should be taken seriously. Good luck!

Professor Kittlesen is a very engaging lecturer, and he makes BIOL 2100 an entertaining class. The amount of work outside of class is not excessive, usually 10-25 pages of reading from the textbook and an online assignment that takes 30-60 minutes. That said, additional studying before tests can be quite time consuming. Kittlesen is a fan of complicated or "trick" questions on quizzes, so assessments can be difficult even if one has a good understanding of the material.

Kittlesen is a very engaging professor. You can tell he tries his best to simplify the somewhat complex content that he teaches. As others have said if you don't have to take this class don't. The tests are tricky on purpose and the bulk of your grade, and they get much more difficult as the semester continues (the final this semester was actually ridiculous). If you must take this class, for the love of God, DON'T SKIP CLASS. The material he covers in class is basically what he tests you on. You can try to make up for it by reading the textbook but that alone won't get you an A no matter how much you put into studying (trust me I tried). Also, he's going to advise you to read the textbook before class, do it. Otherwise you'll be lost the entire time and gain nothing from showing up. All of the extra credit he offers, iclicker questions, mastering bio, all of that, do it, you'll need it. Labs are no joke, they're a percentage of your grade and part of the tests so pay attention during them. Overall the class isn't ridiculously difficult if you put in the time, it's manageable but it's definitely not a class where you can slack off or procrastinate.

Kittlesen is a decent professor (and the only one for this course anyway) - he's funny and knowledgeable but really likes to emphasize specific examples and applications for many of the units that he discusses. The tests are fair and he does 'curve somewhat' so that the class average is usually around an 80. I'd really recommend reading the chapters beforehand to understand what the lecture is going to be about because towards the end of the semester it was pretty hard to take notes in class as he just goes through slides with pictures and studies. Also, bio lab is super easy so don't worry about that!

Professor Kittlesen is an awesome teacher. I really enjoyed his class and highly recommend. That being said this class is in no way a GPA booster. Even if you took AP Bio in high school you still may find this course challenging. Overall, I highly recommend though. Fantastic and interesting class.

Let me start off by saying I agree that Dave is a great professor and really does care about his students, but nevertheless, I would NOT recommend this class unless you love biology or if you need it for your major. Tests are fairly difficult and he did not curve very much this semester as he has in recent ones. A lot of reviews say the book is your savior but many of the concepts discussed in class this semester were NOT in the book, so write down every word he says and be sure you know what ALL the slides are illustrating. Definitely recommend recording lectures, because he moves fast and studying fairly often.

Kittlesen is an amazing professor! He makes the lectures pretty entertaining and he tries to explain everything as best as he can. The textbook basically teaches all of the core material you need to learn for the exams and in lecture, he doesn't really review, but instead only really does the application of this information and expands on it. So if you are behind on the reading and go into lecture not knowing it, the lecture won't make much sense, at least not for me. Most of the semester's curriculum is based off of AP Biology in high school so if you took it you will recognize almost everything you learn. However, I would say this course is somewhat difficult to get above a B+ in. The concepts can be difficult and confusing (so utilize office hours;he's very approachable!). And the exams are very much application, which can be frustrating. He gives out useful study guides before exams, and the online Mastering Biology assignments are helpful. The readings are minimal, but dense..about 30-40 pages a week. I think a good tip is going to his office hours because a lot will be cleared up as I often left is lectures feeling like I barely understood anything. Labs are easy and you should get an A in them. Not much commitment.

I took this class as an incoming first-year, and let me tell you, it was probably the best way to be gradually introduced to college-level difficulty. Kittlesen is an amazing guy. He provides slides that go along very well with the lecture, as well as anecdotes and jokes to keep the class somewhat entertaining. Most of the time, the slides are fairly different from the pre-lecture textbook reading. It's best to take diligent notes and pay attention, but it is not the end of the world if you don't because most of the concepts are very well fleshed out through the textbook, in lab, and through the MasteringBiology homework. But seriously, TAKE NOTES and do your reading before you come to class. The only part of this class that is somewhat time-consuming is reading the textbook, but it does help you in the long-run for tests. There were five tests, and each counted for approximately 16% of our grade. The averages for most of the tests were ~75%, and they got increasingly harder as the semester progresses. Clicker questions can only help you as they are often trick questions that help clarify certain difficult concepts, and wrong answers cannot count against you. Kittlesen is also the most approachable professor, as he sees no question as a dumb question and loves helping his students. All in all, would definitely recommend taking this course. It was probably my easiest course last semester.

Dave is such a phenomenal professor. He's so incredibly knowledgable and passionate about biology. He really cares about his students and makes sure the students are prepared for future science courses. I found his class to be pretty easy, although I do realize I was in the minority. If you have a strong biology background, this course will be no problem for you. If not, this class will build you a strong background. His tests are all multiple choice and fair, but you must have read the textbook material and be able to synthesize and apply the material, not just recite. The homework for the course is mostly online and very easy. 100% recommend this course. Professor Kittlesen is the best!

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS COURSE. If you have even the slightest interest in biology, I highly highly recommend taking this course. I did not take AP Bio in high school but I did the readings and took notes on them before every lecture (which is necessary if you are like me and had not taken bio in a long time) which really helped the lectures make sense. On days I hadn't read before class I felt very lost and was unable to take notes. The homework is done through mastering bio and is very helpful in understanding the material and doesn't take too much time. (Theres either 1 or 2 due every week or every other week) I probably studied 10 hours over 3ish days before each exam and got an A/A- on each. The exams are nice because if you understand the material most of the questions aren't too difficult, but some require you to apply knowledge you have learned to a new example. Usually if a question is too difficult he'll throw it out. This class is definitely not too difficult if you are willing to dedicate time to it. It also helps if you find biology interesting in general or else it could be hard to focus on studying. A lot of my friends put the same amount of work in for studying but didn't do the readings/take notes in class and ended up getting B's or C's on the exams. So it's definitely not a class to take if you are interested in the subject but not willing to read. Also, Kittlesen is a really good lecturer as far as being kind of funny and engaging students in what he is teaching. He is definitely the most dad professor I have ever had. Clicker questions are every class so make sure you attend because you get extra points at the end based on participation. He usually tries to trick you on these, only to try to explain the concept so that "the answer becomes clear" without actually saying the right answer until someone in lecture will be like..."So what's the answer?".

tl;dr great class, interesting material, requires effort, fair exams, highly recommend

Kittlesen is a fantastic lecturer so it is definitely worth going to class. Also, a lot of his tests are from lecture so that's another reason to go. His clicker questions give you a 1% boost at the end of the semester, which is really useful. Exams definitely required some effort and critical thinking, but he gives you more than enough time to take them. Got an A in the class but I must have studied for about 8 hours over the course of 5 days to prepare for each exam. Definitely a great class. Kittlesen is a wonderful teacher and lecturer.

A good old, weed-out intro bio course. Kittlesen is pretty kooky and makes students laugh during lecture. But his tests really make you prepare. Labs are tested, as are the lectures and Mastering Biology. Read the textbook, take notes from it, and use his office hours. I didn't get the grade that I expected, but this really made me realize that I needed to prepare heavily for higher courses.

Great class definitely recommend even though I got a grade lower than I had expected when I signed up for this course. You will definitely reap what you sow and Kittlesen will definitely test you on your preparation and understanding of the material. Exams are challenging but if you start preparing a week in advance you won't be losing too much sleep. Definitely a weed out but don't get discouraged by others who speak poorly of the class or Kittlesen he's one of the best lecturers and you will definitely get accustomed to the work it takes to get to Medical School if that's your path!

Professor Kittlesen is a GREAT professor. He is very dedicated to his students and makes himself very accessible to students and has a ton of office hours. The class was fairly challenging, and even though I am not planning on continuing with science I still enjoyed the class because of Kittlesen's teaching style. I'd recommend doing in-depth readings because all reading topics seemed to be fair game for the tests, even if it wasn't gone over in huge detail in class (also, make sure to show up to class and take good notes). Highly recommend this class for anyone interested in intro biology/wants to get a feel for biology!

Overall I thought it was a worthwhile class and that prof Kittlesen was a great professor. He is really passionate about biology and that really shows during his lectures. However, both his clicker questions and test questions are pretty difficult; they test your understanding to a very detailed level. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to take good lecture notes (implying that you should definitely show up). This is tough at times because he moves through the material pretty quickly but try your best to write down the main ideas of what he is saying. You will definitely need them when studying for his tests. I really enjoyed this class, but that being said, it does take a lot of work to do well.

I am one of the few who did not really like Kittlesen. He is very knowledgable in his stuff but attending lectures is almost pointless; I only attended them for clicker points. His lectures are confusing and rather than teaching the concepts, he will talk about specific cases before making sure the students understand the basic concept. However, the textbook was my savior so make sure you read that and do Mastering Bio. It doesn't really matter in the end though because there's only one professor for this course so make the best of it and good luck.

This was a great class! It's not 100% necessary to do the readings before class, but keep up with them as best you can since you get a lot more out of lectures if you understand the material. To do well on tests, you have to make sure you understand the material and can reason with it, rather than just memorizing. Specifically, when you go over experiments in the textbook and in class, understand why certain techniques are used, why the results were what they were, and be able to predict what the outcome of the experiment would be if he changed a few aspects of the protocol (this was a huge part of the final exam). Overall, Kittlesen was great and I thoroughly enjoyed this class. An A, and certainly a B, is absolutely doable so long as you take this class seriously and do the work you're assigned. I would highly recommend this class.

If you're dedicated to some natural sciences (and if you're premed), you should definitely take this class. It's not particularly easy, but if you study hard and pay attention during lectures you should get an A or a B+. Kittlesen usually does a VERY good job during his lectures, and he 's great slowing things down and explaining tough concepts during office hours. The major problem I had with this course was with the mandatory lab section. The lab descriptions were complex, and everyone sort of adopted the mentality, "well the directions say to pipette this much liquid into this little cup, I have no idea what it is but the directions say to do it." I wish I had paid closer attention to what we were actually doing in lab, especially since Kittlesen asks you questions about it on tests.